Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Liz,

I started in competitive trail. While I was waiting on this horse, I
borrowed horses for about 150 miles worth. My horse's 4YO year, we did two
novice rides of 15 and 20 miles; it was the best thing for her brain (she
learned that mud and water wouldn't melt her little tootsies). 5YO year, we
did 4 one-day 25's and 30's; it was the best thing for her brain (she
learned that she could get tired). Her 6YO year we did a couple of one-day
rides and 3 two-day 50's; it was the best thing for her brain (she learned
to expect the unexpected -- like the saddle coming out again on day two!).

At the start of her 7YO year, she completed her first LD in 3:38 (middle of
the pack) and then a few months later did another with another rider. NOT a
good thing. She developed race brain and was a monster on the next two-day
60 CTR just this last May.

So I took her on an endurance ride (50 miles) last month. Best thing EVER
for her brain. She ate and drank and looked great at the end -- I took it
slow the last 25 (the first 25? weeelllll...). She looked great and the edge
was definitely taken off. She looked a *good* tired, just how I felt. (OK, I
was a hurtin' puppy but I was a hurtin' puppy after my first novice ride
too, these things shall pass.)

Even better, I did a 50 mile CTR through the mud and the slop a weekend ago
and she was relaxed at the start (first time ever) and drank from a mud
puddle (first time ever). My placing is meaningless to me when I can see
that my horse is progressing. (And I have plenty of pretty ribbons from my
CTR endeavors.)

I'm not a big fan of LD, never was. Any 100 mile horse and most 50 mile
horses could do an LD and be in the first 5 finishers, but then they keep
going. ;-))) I'll likely do back-to-back LD's at the beginning of a ride
season for conditioning or use one for my club mileage credit or for rehab,
but only if necessary. LD's taught me and my horse nothing. I'd like to keep
flip-flopping between CTR and endurance for about another year, I think.

OTOH, I'll probably not start another horse at 15 or 20 mile novice rides. I
can do those at home. But I'm new at this and she's a young horse (very slow
maturing too), and I'm very conservative, so I don't regret the experience.

Every time I've increased speed or distance, I've discovered the need for
tack adjustments or changes in my management strategy. Being a DC, you'll
appreciate this: chiropractic care for both me and my horse keeps us going
happily down trail.

CTRs to start out with for me! It teaches the horse to relax and how to pace
and teaches the rider how to do it all without crew.

To me, to finish is to win. Any non-completion is a failure. I see an awful
lot of people with a "to win is to win" attitude who seem to think nothing
of being pulled. Overheard a father at a recent endurance ride crewing his
daughter scoffing at the notion of Best Condition, saying there is only one
winner. The daughter's horse was pulled -- she and he wanted to win more
than they wanted to finish. Different POV's, same sport. Oh well.

Deanna (Ohio)
500+ miles CTR
2 LD's (one OT failure)
one endurance ride

--------------------------------------------

I agree in principle with the letter regarding Limited Distance Racing.
Because "racing" was the sport when I was first introduced to the event back
in the late 80's, my horse thinks that a 25 mile is a sprint.  It wasn't
until I took her on a two day event that she finally figured how to pace
herself.  I still have to work with her any time there is a large group of
riders.  I encourage the AERC and ride managers to work toward using the LD
as a way to get ready for the bigger rides.

Sincerely,

Liz Faletti, DC


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=